If Osaka is on your travel list for 2025 (and let’s be honest, it should be), there’s one stop you can’t miss: the World Exposition, running from April 13 to October 13. Among the city’s many attractions, Cartier’s Women’s Pavilion stands out – not just as an architectural marvel but as a powerful statement on gender equality, innovation, and sustainability.
Credit:Cartier
Designed by Yuko Nagayama, the repurposed Women’s Pavilion bridges tradition and modernity, embodying Cartier’s commitment to sustainability and interconnectedness.
First introduced at Expo 2020 Dubai, the Women’s Pavilion makes areturn, reimagined for Osaka with a fresh perspective. At its core, the pavilion champions the idea that when women thrive, humanity thrives – a belief that has long been woven into Cartier’s DNA. But this isn’t just a space for reflection; it’s a call to action.
Credit:Cartier
The Women’s Pavilion reflects the architecture of traditional machiya townhouses.
Envisioned by renowned Japanese architect Yuko Nagayama, the pavilion’s design takes cues from traditional Kumiko woodworking, an intricate craft that assembles wooden lattices without nails or glue. The facade seamlessly blends geometric precision with natural elements, echoing the balance of Osaka’s historic machiya townhouses. The commitment to sustainability runs deep – locally sourced trees surrounding the pavilion will be replanted in Osaka’s mountains post-Expo, symbolising the regenerative cycle of nature.
Credit:Cartier
Locally sourced trees will be replanted in Osaka’s mountains after the Expo, a living testament to nature’s regenerative cycle.
Inside, visitors embark on an immersive journey curated by Es Devlin, Global Artistic Lead and visionary artist. Devlin sees World Expos as more than temporary spectacles – they’re a symphony of ideas, where each pavilion is an instrument playing beyond its six-month performance. At the Women’s Pavilion, this philosophy translates into an exhibition designed to spark profound shifts in perspective, guiding visitors through personal narratives that connect to the global conversation on gender equality.
A pavilion of this calibre deserves a creative dream team. Filmmaker Naomi Kawase sets the stage with a poignant prelude movie, while French actress, director, and artist Melanie Laurent crafts an emotional exploration of women’s empowerment through portraits, soundscapes, and virtual reality. Her collaborator, Hiro Chiba, elevates the experience with innovative chlorograph portraits. Meanwhile, multidisciplinary artist Mariko Mori contributes a work that embodies togetherness and shared humanity on the upper floor.
Credit:Cartier
A Zen spot inside the Women’s Pavilion
Landscape designer Toshiya Ogino curates a seasonally changing garden, mirroring Japan’s natural cycles. Even the pavilion’s attendants wear a touch of artistry – Chitose Abe, Creative Director of Sacai, designed their uniforms, blending modernity with tradition.
Credit:Cartier
Curated by Es Devlin, visitors embark on an immersive journey inside the Women’s Pavilion.
Beyond its visual and artistic appeal, the Women’s Pavilion is a space for global changemakers to engage in dialogue, spark innovation, and drive collective action. Visitors are invited to donate their names, embedding their identities into the narrative – a gesture symbolising the power of a name as both an intimate and universal compass. In true Es Devlin fashion, the pavilion transforms every visitor into part of a “rehearsal community”, shaping the experience in real time.
Credit:Cartier
Let your senses roam free here.
As Cartier Japan President & CEO June Miyachi puts it: “What can each of us do, to thrive together, irrespective of gender? I hope the Women’s Pavilion can serve as a catalyst for each visitor to feel, think and act towards a brighter future, accelerating change together.”
AloJapan.com